The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- Kim Clijsters returns to French Open 5 years later
- Westwood threatens to close down Twitter account
- Watson ensures Warne signs off with win in IPL
| Kim Clijsters returns to French Open 5 years later Posted: 20 May 2011 05:59 PM PDT PARIS (AP) — Kim Clijsters smiled sheepishly Friday while recounting the unusual way she managed to hurt her right ankle and a toe recently, nearly forcing her to skip the French Open yet again. Of all the ways for an athlete to get injured, the champion at the past two Grand Slam tournaments sent herself to the sideline while dancing at her cousin's wedding. "I was in bare feet, because I was wearing high heels, and I couldn't dance in my high heels," Clijsters explained in a matter-of-fact way, two days before the French Open starts. "So then I landed on another girl's foot, and I twisted my ankle. Then, while I'm walking off, limping, somebody stepped on the outside of my small toe, as well, and I still have a problem there." Then she added: "But I'm here." Yes, the 27-year-old Belgian is back at Roland Garros as a competitor for the first time since 2006, an absence that came about because of injuries and what turned out to be a temporary sabbatical from tennis while she got married and gave birth to a daughter. Still, Clijsters certainly is someone to keep an eye on in a French Open women's field that is missing the Williams sisters. It's also missing a true favorite. Justine Henin returned to retirement. Nine of the top 12 seeded players — including No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki — haven't won a Grand Slam title. Maria Sharapova hasn't appeared in the semifinals at any of the past 12 major tournaments. Defending champion Francesca Schiavone has lost four matches on clay this season. At least Schiavone and contenders such as Sharapova, who won last week's Italian Open, and Wozniacki, who reached Saturday's final at Brussels, have been adjusting to the slow, slippery surface lately. Clijsters was the French Open runner-up in 2001 and 2003, but she last played on clay in April 2010. Indeed, since losing to Henin in the 2006 French Open semifinals, Clijsters' clay-court resume consists of four matches, with two wins and two losses. After her wedding mishap last month, she pulled out of European clay tuneup tournaments; her last match anywhere was March 30. Hardly ideal preparation. Not to mention the heavily taped ankle that she hopes won't hamper her too much. Still, no one seems ready to dismiss Clijsters' chances over the coming weeks. "Well, it's always difficult to not play for a few weeks and come back, (with) a Grand Slam being your first tournament," said Sharapova, who has won the other three major tournaments once each but never been past the semifinals in Paris. "But, you know, she has a tremendous amount of experience behind her back." Or as 2010 French Open runner-up Sam Stosur put it: "People like that don't play the tournament unless they're feeling ready." Clijsters gave herself Friday off, but she'll practice Saturday. When she set foot on the main stadium court at Roland Garros to hit balls Thursday, she got a rush of anticipation. "I felt like a little girl again," Clijsters said. "It was a nice feeling to have." She is seeded second and will play 100th-ranked Anastasiya Yakimova of Belarus in the first round. Largely because the type of movement it requires is different, clay never has been Clijsters' favorite — or best — surface. All four of her Grand Slam titles came on hard courts at the U.S. Open or Australian Open. "I just prefer, I think, the impact that your strokes have on a hard court. I know that if I hit a shot, forehand inside-out, on a hard court, eight out of 10 (times), it won't come back; on clay, five out of 10 or eight out of 10, it will come back," she said. "You have to have a little bit more patience. You have to just be ready to accept a lot of balls back." After so much time away from the French Open, Clijsters says she's come to accept the particulars of playing on clay. And maybe even relish it. "I enjoy the challenge, I think, more now. I know why I never felt that comfortable is because of the movement and everything, but I feel it's the same for everybody," Clijsters said. "I enjoy the challenge of trying to win every rally." Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price. |
| Westwood threatens to close down Twitter account Posted: 20 May 2011 05:58 PM PDT CASARES, Spain (AP) — Top-ranked Lee Westwood is considering closing his Twitter account after becoming dismayed at the amount of abuse directed at himself and fellow golfers by "idiots" on the social networking site. Westwood is a regular user of Twitter along with a number of his teammates from Europe's Ryder Cup side, but he said the service was being used for the wrong purpose. "It's losing its meaning," Westwood said. "It's social media, not social slagging. It seems to have turned into that for some people." Flamboyant Englishman Ian Poulter, who will play Westwood in the last 16 of the World Match Play Championship in Spain on Saturday, has been the target of heavy criticism on Twitter, while 1999 British Open champion Paul Lawrie has closed his account. England football star Wayne Rooney recently joined Twitter and this week threatened to put a user "to sleep in 10 seconds" after being sent abusive messages. "It's just pathetic," Westwood said. "It's there to interact with people and give them an idea of stuff they might not ordinarily be able to engage with. But some always take it too far and spoil it." Second-ranked Luke Donald said the "negative media" toward Poulter was frustrating but intended to continue tweeting. "That's not the tool it was meant for ... but it hasn't got to that point for me yet," Donald said. Graeme McDowell, the fifth-ranked Northern Ireland player, said Twitter abuse "goes with the territory." "People open an account and all they want to do is abuse celebrities and sportsmen to try to get a response," McDowell said. "You try not to encourage them, and generally I just block them, but if you want to stay on it you're going to have to accept some absolute trash that people talk. "It's downright evil, some of the stuff." Westwood and Poulter often exchange messages over Twitter to wind each other up, but the top-ranked player said that wouldn't be happening ahead Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price. |
| Watson ensures Warne signs off with win in IPL Posted: 20 May 2011 05:55 PM PDT MUMBAI, India (AP) — A superb performance by Australia allrounder Shane Watson helped Rajasthan Royals captain Shane Warne sign off his professional career with a memorable 10-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League on Friday. Watson hammered an unbeaten 89 after having taken 3-19 as Rajasthan scored 134 without loss off only 13.1 overs in reply to Mumbai's mediocre 133-5 at the Wankhede Stadium. Watson's solid partnership with Rahul Dravid (43) left a Mumbai side led by Sachin Tendulkar frustrated as the ball was punished to all parts of the ground. Mumbai stays in contention for the playoffs despite a third consecutive defeat, with 16 points from 13 games. Rajasthan, already out of contention, finished its 14 games with 13 points. "When someone of the class of Shane Watson plays like that, he shows you how good he is," Warne said after his last game. "I have had four great years in the IPL and hopefully I have helped Indian cricket and the young players here." Watson smashed six sixes and nine fours during his 47-ball knock to complete what was only the third 10-wicket victory in four editions of the IPL and the only one this season. He set the tempo with two sixes in the second over of the innings bowled by off-spinner Harbhajan Singh. He also lofted three sixes off Sri Lankan pace bowler Lasith Malinga, who normally concedes few runs, and one off another seamer, Dhawal Kulkarni. "It has taken me a little while to do that," Watson said after recording his first half-century of this IPL. "It's always nice when two parts of your game come together." Earlier, Mumbai was helped to a fighting total by Rohit Sharma, who produced a brisk knock of 58, his 11th IPL fifty and the third of this edition. Sharma smashed a six and five fours off 47 balls before he fell in the last over of the innings to Warne, who had announced his retirement earlier during the tournament. Warne bowled well in the middle overs to finish with figures of 1-30, restricting old adversary Sachin Tendulkar, who could not hit a boundary off him during his 35-ball 31. Warne also used his other bowling resources well. The Rajasthan bowlers managed to even restrict a well-set West Indian allrounder Kieron Pollard, who made 20 off 18 before becoming Watson's third wicket of the innings. On Saturday, Kings XI Punjab plays Deccan Chargers at Dharamshala while Delhi Daredevils hosts Pune Warriors. _____ Scores: Rajasthan Royals 134 for no loss in 13.1 overs (Shane Watson 89 not out, Rahul Dravid 43 not out), def. Mumbai Indians 133-5 in 20 overs (Rohit Sharma 58, Sachin Tendulkar 31, Shane Watson 3-19). Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price. |
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